I Drove for Uber Eats and This Was My First Day's £4 Highlight

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The Challenges of Being a Delivery Driver

As I prepared for my first day as a delivery driver, I reminded myself not to make any mistakes. I had just started working with Uber Eats, and this was my first order. My task was to deliver McDonald's three miles through the streets of west London by bike. At the time, I had no idea that my experiences would one day be published in a newspaper.

The job seemed simple enough, but I quickly realized that it was filled with challenges. From picking up the wrong order to taking the wrong turn, errors were common among drivers. I thought to myself, "How hard could it really be?" But as soon as I set off from Hammersmith to Putney, I found out just how difficult it could be.

I ended up sprinting out of a Putney council estate, having failed to complete my first delivery. Surprisingly, I still received the full fee for the incomplete order. That was the only positive aspect of the job, which was often poorly paid. With so many drivers competing in the capital, it was nearly impossible to pick up enough orders to reach minimum wage, except on rainy Friday or Saturday nights in central London.

During my first delivery, I was buzzed in by a customer who had ordered a Big Mac, Quarter Pounders, and chips. However, the lift was broken, so I had to climb 10 flights of stairs before they could enjoy their meal. The situation got worse when I discovered that the paper bag containing the food was disintegrating and soaked in Diet Coke. Realizing I had placed the drink upside down, I rushed back down the stairs, threw the food into a bin, and canceled the order. Despite the mess, I still earned £4.

Many of my colleagues were more experienced and often signed up for multiple apps at once. They formed cliques while waiting outside fast food chains, and there was often tension between drivers and servers. Each group accused the other of being too slow or pushy. At McDonald's, a server was surprised to see me using an insulated and appropriately sized bag, which was required for deliveries. I was one of the few people he'd seen that day with a heatproof bag.

Cycling with the bag was challenging, and I narrowly avoided hitting wing mirrors on several occasions as I maneuvered through traffic. While I never stole food, some drivers were more tempted. One driver admitted, "I try to be professional, but when you're stuck in traffic with someone's chips next to you and you've not eaten in hours, it's tough. I don't make a habit of it, but yeah, I've taken fries."

Uber Eats has faced criticism after reports revealed that female drivers were renting out their accounts to illegal immigrant men to bypass criminal record and employment checks. Some users have complained about drivers not matching their profile pictures, leading to situations where a man would show up instead of a woman. Matt Stevens, for example, was shocked to find a fully grown man with a beard at his doorstep after being told a female driver was on the way.

In response, Uber Eats has implemented stricter checks. Now, drivers are required to take a selfie to authenticate their identity before completing orders. An Uber Eats spokesperson stated, "Uber Eats is committed to building the best platform for all customers and we take appropriate action in the rare event a courier breaches our community guidelines. We offer a flexible way for thousands of couriers to earn while being able to choose when, where, and for how long they work."

While the majority of drivers are satisfied with their experience, Uber Eats works closely with its union partner, GMB, to ensure that couriers' interests are always represented.